Data Sovereignty: The Foundation of National Security

In the 21st century, access to energy and water is no longer the only foundation of modern civilization. Increasingly, the real “oil of the 21st century” is data—personal, economic, financial, and strategic. Data determines how states operate, how companies grow, and how citizens function in everyday life. The challenge is that a significant share of Polish institutional and citizen data resides beyond the country’s borders.

The Risk of Data Beyond Borders

For years, many organizations have chosen to store their information in foreign clouds—most often operated by large American providers. The rationale seemed clear: convenience, a low barrier to entry, global reputation, and a sense of technological safety. Yet this convenience comes at a cost.

Legal frameworks and service agreements cannot fully protect users. Under U.S. law—such as the Patriot Act and the Cloud Act—American authorities can access data processed by U.S.-registered companies, regardless of where their servers are physically located. In practice, this means that the data of Polish citizens and institutions, even if stored in Frankfurt or Dublin, can still be accessed by entities outside of Poland’s legal jurisdiction.

What Happens When Access Disappears?

We rarely consider what would happen if, overnight, access to critical data was lost. Power outages can be survived with a candle. Water shortages can be managed with tankers. But if governments, banks, and businesses lose access to data, society grinds to a halt.

This is not a hypothetical scenario. Cyberattacks, ransomware incidents, and disruptions to data availability have already paralyzed countries across the world. One command can sever entire nations from the systems that power healthcare, banking, logistics, or energy.

Lessons from Russia: Dependence Is a Strategic Risk

In May 2025, Microsoft began disconnecting Russian companies from cloud services such as Visio Online, Project Online, Power BI, and Teams, in response to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Many subscriptions were terminated overnight, and by September, the sanctions were extended to corporate clients registered in Russia.

This event demonstrated how geopolitical decisions can instantly affect access to technology—and how global tech corporations can become instruments of political pressure. For Poland, this is a clear warning: technological dependence is a strategic vulnerability.

Europe Leads by Example

Some European countries have already taken proactive steps. France, for instance, introduced strict regulations (HDS – Hébergement de Données de Santé) requiring that medical data be stored within the European Union by certified local providers who meet the highest security standards. The technology may be global—but control and accountability must remain local.

In Poland, however, many ministries still maintain data in outdated basement server rooms that fail to meet modern security requirements, while others rely on foreign cloud infrastructure. As a result, the state risks losing control over one of its most strategic national assets.

The Polish Cloud: Building Digital Sovereignty

A positive step forward is the Polska Chmura (“Polish Cloud”) initiative—an association of companies that operate advanced data centers in Poland. Its mission is to promote awareness and adoption of local solutions that strengthen the country’s digital independence.

Talex, as a proud member of the association and operator of one of the most highly certified data centers in Poland (EN 50600 Class 4 and ISO 22237 Class 4), advocates a simple principle: data that is strategic to national institutions and critical industries must be stored and managed locally. This is the only way to ensure independence and resilience in times of crisis.

Data Sovereignty Is National Security

Security in the digital era goes beyond armies and armored vehicles. True security lies in resilience—against cyberattacks, manipulation, and data breaches. Data sovereignty means that the state and its businesses retain full control over their most valuable asset: information.

If Poland is to ensure real, long-term security, it must continue to invest in domestic data centers, empower local operators, and establish regulations that require critical data to remain within national borders.

Data sovereignty is not a privilege. It is the cornerstone of safety—for the state, for business, and for every citizen. Without it, any crisis—technological, political, or economic—could paralyze a nation in minutes.